Chair iron



Sept 11, 1962 M. Fox 3,053,571

CHAIR IRON Filed Feb. 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l M. FOX

CHAIR IRON Sept. 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1961 mmzrm United States Patent @thee 3,053,571 Patented Sept. 11, 1962n 3,053,571 CHAIR IRON Martin Fox, Chicago, 1li., assigner to The Seng Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. Z0, 1961, Ser. No. 90,451 Claims. (Cl. 297--300) This invention relates to a chair iron, and more particularly to an oiice chair iron such as might lbe used in a posture chair.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a chair iron having a headpiece supported on an upright shaft, or spindle, with a chair superstructure supporting the fixture pivotally mounted on the headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis, with means for limiting the rocking movement of the fixture in one direction, and means telescopically associated with the spindle for resiliently resisting and limiting the rocking movement of the iixture in a second direction.

An important object of this invention is to provide a chair iron having a headpiece supported on an upright shaft, or spindle, with a chair superstructure supporting ixture pivotally mounted `on the headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis, and a spiral spring telescopically associated with the shaft and resiliently resisting said rocking movement of the fixture. A related object is the provision of such a chair iron wherein means for limiting rocking movement of the supporting fixture is telescopically associated with the shaft.

Another object of -this invention is to provide a chairV iron having a headpiece rotatably mounted on an upright spindle with a chair superstructure supporting xture pivotally mounted on the headpiece for rocking movement transversely of the spindle between an upright normal position and a tilted second position, a spiral compression spring telescoped on the spindle for resiliently resisting such rocking movement of the xture and having opposite ends seated, respectively, on a spring retainer telescopical- 1y movable on the spindle and engaging the fixture and a spring bushing threadedly received on the spindle lfor adjustment longitudinally thereof to vary the resistance of the spring to pivotal movement of the fixture. A related object is the provision of such a chair iron wherein the spring retainer has a pair of bosses pivotally received in grooves in the chair superstructure supporting fixture. Another related object is the provision of such a chair iron wherein the spring retainer further limits rocking movement of the supporting fixture in one direction and the headpiece limits such rocking movement in an opposite direction.

Still `another object of this invention is to provide a chair iron having a headpiece rotatably mounted on an upright spindle with a chair superstructure supporting xture pivotally mounted on the headpiece for rocking movement transversely of the spindle between a normal position and a second position, a retainer engaging the xture and telescopically movable on the spindle between a normal position corresponding to the normal position of the fixture and a second position in abutting relationship with the spindle vfor limiting pivotal movement of the xture and corresponding to the second position of the txture, land means urging the iixture toward the xture normal position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

lFIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an olice chair, in an upright, normal position, incorporating an'embodiment of the chair iron of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the `olce chair, with parts broken away for clearer illustration; Y

FIGURE 3 is a section taken :generally along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating a plan View of a spring retainer of the chair iron;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the spring retainer substantially as illustrated along the line 4 4 of tFIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the spring retainer; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, similar to FIGURE 2, but with the oliice chair in an inclined, second position, with parts broken away for clearer illustration. j

Referring to FIGURE 1, the invention is illustrated as applied to a stenographic posture chair, and in the drawings an oice chair has a chair superstructure 10 supported on a base 11 by an embodiment of a chair iron 12 of this invention. As illustrated herein, the chair superstructure 10 is in the `form of a pair of members, a chair seat 13 and a chair back Irest 14. The invention is also applicable to other types of oflice chairs, such as executive swivel chairs or executive posture chairs.

In the present embodiment, the chain iron 112 has an upright shaft 15 supported on the chair base 11. The shaft `15 is a threaded spindle adjustable vertically of the base by means of a suitable threaded connection with the chair base 11, for varying the height of the chair superstructure 10.

A headpieceA 16 of the chair iron is pivotally mounted on :an upper portion of the spindle 15 for rotation about the axis of the spindle by means of a frusto-conical pivot bearing 15a on the upper end of the spindle 15 which pivotally receives a truste-conical socket in a transverse web 17 of the headpiece and in a boss `1-8 secured tothe web in any suitable manner, as by rivets. Depending from opposite edges of the web 17 are laterally opposed, upright headpiece attaching flanges 19.

In the illustrated embodiment, a spider, in the form of a pair of brackets 20, is suitably secured to outer faces of the attaching ilanges 19 as by rivets, and -to the bottom of the chair seat 13 by `fasteners such as screws extending through anges of the brackets and received in the chair seat frame.

A chair superstructure supporting fixture Z1 in the illustrated embodiment, has a U-shaped member 22 with a pair of parallel legs 23 pivotally mounted at one end to the headpiece attaching ilanges by a horizontal pivot pin 24 extending through nylon bushings 25 in apertures in the legs for rocking movement of the fixture 21 and the back rest 14 about a horizontal axis between an upright normal position and a tilted second position. A back rest frame member 26 is adjustably attached to the opposite ends of legs 23 about a pivot pin 27. Adjustment of the inclination of the back rest on the bracket legs is provided by means of a suitable adjustable, clamped pivot assembly 28 connecting the U-shaped member 22 and the legs 23. A web 29 joins the legs 213 to provideV an integral bracket, and has a central opening surrounding spindle 15.

Means are provided for positioning and resilientlyI urging the supporting lixtureZl into a normal stationary position in which web 29 bears yupon Ia resilient bumper 30 on a depending stop flange 31 lat the rear of `head.

ture from the upright normal position to the tilted sec# ond position. These means here include a spiral compression spring 32. telescopically received on the spindle 15. A cup-shaped spring seating bushing 33 seats the' lower end` of the spiral spring 32 .and is threadedly re-l ceived on Ythe spindle 15 for adjustment longitudinally of the spindle.

The upper end of the spiral spring is seated in a nylon retainer 34 (FIGURES Y3?-5),v which is loosely and telescopically received on, and eccentrically surrounds spindle 15. Retainer 34 has an internal, annular flange 35 with an inner face 36 affording a spring abutment and a depending side Wall 37 surrounding the top portion of the spring. To accommodate the rocking movement of fixture 21 the spring retainer pivotally engages the web 29 of the supporting fixture 21; and in the preferred embodiment diametrically opposed arcuate bosses 38 extend upwardly from the flange 35 of retainer 34 and are pivotally seated in diametrically opposed arcuate grooves 39 in the supporting fixture web 29 on opposite sides of the spindle 15. Thus, adjustment of bushing 33 varies the resilient force of spring 32 for resisting movement of the supporting fixture 21.

When the fixture 21 is in the upright normal position, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the retainer 34 is eccentrically positioned and slightly spaced from `the spindle 15, as may be most easily seen in FIGURE 3. As the fixture 21 moves from the normal to the tilted second position, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, headpiece arcuate grooves 39 acting through retainer bosses 38 move the retainer transversely of the spindle 15 until an inner cylindrical wall 40 of the retainer abuts the side of spindle 15, thus providing a stop to limit further downward telescopic movement of the retainer 34 with respect to the spindle 15. A generally frusto-conical outer and upper face 41 of the retainer iiange 35 is engaged by the fixture web 29 for limiting further tilting movement of the fixture 21 and the back rest 14.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; a headpiece supported on said spindle; a supporting fixture pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement around a horizontal axis; means for limiting rocking movement of said fixture in one direction; and means telescopically associated with said spindle for resiliently resisting and limiting in a second direction said rocking movement of the fixture.

2. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; -a headpiece pivotally mounted on said spindle; a supporting fixture pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis between an upright normal position and an inclined second position; an abutment on said headpiece engaging said fixture in said normal position for limiting rocking movement of said fixture in one direction; a retainer engaging said fixture and telescopically movable on said spindle between a normal position corresponding to the normal position of said fixture and a second position in abutting relationship With said spindle for limiting pivotal movement of said fixture in a second direction and corresponding to the second position of said fixture; a spring seating bushing threadedly received on said spindle for adjustment longitudinally of said spindle; a spiral compression spring telescoped on said spindle and having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said retainer and said bushing for resiliently resisting rocking movement of the fixture.

3. A chair iron for a chair having a base, a seat, and a back rest, said chair iron comprising: an upright threaded spindle having an upper portion and a lower portion; means for thread'edly mounting said spindle lower portion on said base for vertical adjustment of said spindle; a headpiece having a web transverse to and pivotally supported on said spindle upper portion for rotation about a generally upright axis; means for attaching a seat to said headpiece; a chair superstructure supporting fixture movable between an upright normal position and a tilted second position, said fixture having a pair of parallel legs and a web connecting said legs adjacent said spindle; means impaling said parallel legs and pivotally mounting said fixture on said headpiece web at a point forward of said spindle for rocking movement of said fixture between said normal and said second position; means for attaching a back rest to the opposite adjacent ends of said legs; a retainer rotatable and loosely telescoped on said spindle and pivotally engaging said fixture web, said retainer being movable between a normal position corresponding to the normal position of said fixture and a second position in abutting relationship with said spindle for limiting pivotal movement of said fixture and corresponding to the second position of said fixture; a bumper on said headpiece web to the rear of said spindle, said bumper engaging said fixture web when said fixture is in said normal position; a spring seating bushing threadedly received on said spindle for adjustment longitudinally thereof; a spiral compression spring telescoped on said spindle, said compression spring having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said retainer and said bushing for resiliently urging said back rest to said normal position engaging said bumper and resiliently resisting pivotal movement of said back rest from said normal position to said second position, the resilient force of said spring being adjustable by movement of said bushing longitudinally of said spindle.

4. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; a headpiece supported on said spindle; a supporting fixture pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement around a horizontal axis; and means telescopically associated with said spindle for resiliently resisting and limiting said rocking movement of the fixture.

5. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; a headpiece pivotally mounted on said spindle; a supporting fixture pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis between an upright normal position and a tilted second position; a retainer engaging said fixture and telescopically movable on said spindle between a normal position corresponding to the normal position of said fixture and a second position in abutting relationship with said spindle for limiting pivotal movement of said xture and corresponding to the second position of said fixture; a spring seating bushing threadedly received on said spindle for adjustment longitudinally of said spindle; a spiral compression spring telescoped on said spindle and having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said retainer and said bushing for resiliently resisting said rocking movement of the fixture.

6. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; a headpiece supported on said spindle; a supporting fixture pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis; and means telescopically associated with said spindle for resiliently resisting said rocking movement of the xture.

7. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; a headpiece mounted on said spindle; a supporting fixture pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis; a spring retainer movably associated with said fixture and telescopically movable on said spindle; a spring seating bushing secured on said spindle; and a compression spring telescopically associated with said spindle and having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said seat and said bushing for resiliently resisting rocking movement of said fixture.

8. A chair iron comprising: an upright spindle; a headpiece mounted on said spindle; a supporting fixture surrounding said spindle and pivotally mounted on said headpiece for rocking movement about a horizontal axis; a pair of grooves in said fixture on opposite sides of said spindle; a spring retainer associated with said fixture and having a pair of bosses pivotably received in said grooves; a spring seating bushing secured on said spindle; and a compression spring telescopically associated with said spindle and having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said seat and said bushing for resiliently resisting rocking movement of said fixture.

9. A chair iron comprising: a spindle; a headpiece having a web pivotally mounted on said spindle; a supporting fixture surrounding said spindle and pivotally mounted on said web for rocking movement about a horizontal axis; a pair of grooves in said xture on opposite sides of said spindle; a spring retainer rotatably telescoped on said spindle and having a pair of bosses pivotally received in said fixture grooves; a spring seating bushing threadedly received on said spindle for adjustment longitudinally thereof; and a spiral compression spring telescoped on said spindle, said compression spring having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said retainer and said bushing for resiliently urging said fixture to a normal stationary position and resiliently resisting rocking movement of said xture from said normal position.

10. In a chair having a base, a seat, and a back rest, a chair iron comprising: an upright threaded spindle having an upper portion and a lower portion; means for threadedly mounting said spindle lower portion on said base for vertical adjustment of said spindle; a headpiece having a web transverse to and pivotally supported on said spindle upper portion for rotation about a generally upright axis; means for attaching said headpiece to said seat; a chair superstructure supporting xture having a pair of laterally opposed legs each with opposite ends adjacent each other, said adjacent ends at one end of said legs being pivotally mounted on said headpiece web at a point spaced from said spindle; a fixture web adjacent said spindle and connecting said legs; means for attaching the opposite adjacent ends of said legs to said back rest; a retainer rotatable and loosely telescoped o-n said spindle and pivotally engaging said fixture web; a spring seating bushing threadedly received on said spindle for adjustment longitudinally thereof; a spiral compression spring telescoped on said spindle, said compression spring having opposite ends seated, respectively, on said retainer and said bushing for resiliently urging said back rest to an upright normal position and resiliently resisting pivotal movement of said back rest from said normal position to a tilted position, the resilient force of said spring being adjustable by movement of said bushing longitudinally of said spindle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,615 `Cannon et al. Jan. 25, 1927 2,680,474 Fritz June 8, 1954 2,770,292 Hamilton Nov. 13, 1956 2,838,096 Heavern June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,613 Germany Sept. 29, 1929 

